Famous Broccoli Pasta: Crave-Worthy Dinner
A simple, flavorful pasta dish with tender broccoli, garlic, lemon, and herbs that makes a wholesome, satisfying dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
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12 oz spaghetti, penne, or preferred pasta
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3 cups broccoli florets
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
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½ teaspoon salt
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¼ teaspoon black pepper
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Zest and juice of 1 lemon
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2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
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2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)
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2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
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Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente; reserve ¼ cup pasta water.
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Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes 1–2 minutes.
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Add broccoli and cook 5–7 minutes until tender-crisp; season with salt and pepper.
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Toss pasta with broccoli mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
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Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and parsley.
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Sprinkle with toasted nuts if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
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Cook broccoli until tender-crisp for best texture.
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Reserved pasta water helps coat pasta evenly.
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Optional: add chickpeas or roasted vegetables for extra protein.